the quick scoop: pumpkin-palooza

The countdown is on to Halloween, and this weekend is prime pumpkin carving time! It’s also down to the wire if you’re opting in to dressing up for the occasion. If you’re looking for some snacks to whip up while you’re carving away, I recommend giving these pumpkin cornbread muffins a go. Easy finger food while you’re focused on the task at hand.

If you’re ready to get into the spooky spirit sooner rather than later, Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg is running a number of Halloween classics over the weekend. Greenwood Cemetery has a number of special appropriately creepy evening events, but as of now they are all already sold out. Saturday is the ever-popular Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade. You might not be able to handle all of the cute. Things get underway at noon. There’s also the Halloween Harvest Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park in Astoria, which kicks off at 11AM. There’s a full schedule of events, including the annual canine costume contest from 1-2PM.

If you’re looking for something indoors, this Sunday is also TAPPED at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which is all about craft beers. Tickets are still available here.

It’s not quite here yet, but progress is being made on the Winter Village at Bryant Park, one of my personal favorite spots to peruse for holiday gifts. I somehow always manage to find a number of unplanned holiday purchases there, which really help to take the pressure off in the final weeks going into the holiday finish line. The market officially opens up next Friday, and features a number of new vendors in addition to my favorite, KTcollection.